Holder and cutter for ampoules



y 1950 J. E. THOMPSON 2,508,696

HOLDER AND CUTTER FOR AMPOULES Filed Feb. 19, 1946 Inventor Lid W6 5 Z mom 250a Q y %m Wyn/way m 1 Patented May 23, 1950 James E. Thompson, San J os';"Ca;lif;,-as'si'gnor ofone-half to Walter S.'-McNear-, San Jose, Calif.

Application February 19, 19rd, Serial N o. 6481644" (cr te-=52):

5 Claims.-

The present invention relates to a novel and improved so-called pocket-size device expressly designed for holding and scoring ampuls, that is,-

glass or'equivalent vials such as are used as a container for one dose of a hypodermic solution or" similar medicament.

More particularly, the invention appertains to a: simple and expedient device which in overall appearance resembles a pocket knife, the same characterized by two main parts, one constructed to" accommodate and properly seat the ampul and'said part also serving as a mount and sheath for the companion part, the latter being hing-- edly anchored in said sheath and carrying the glass scoring element.

It isa matter of common knowledge that glass ampuls have been in use for twenty-five years and their daily use is constantly increasing, although no really satisfactory method has been devised for safely and rapidly cutting them so the contents can be safely drawn into a syringe for injection. The customary or common method is to file on the neck of the ampul with a small file which is furnished with each box of ampuls. This requires filing back and forth on the sloping" neck of an ampul with a file so small it can not be-fi'rmly held in the hand. These files are so soft they must be discarded after using three oifour times. Such a method is slow and tedious andit is quite impossible to file a straight line around the neck of the ampul so it will break oificlean.

Keeping in mind the foregoing conditions'and" circumstances, I have evolved and produced a simple, practicable and expedient device whichserves to accommodate the types of ampuls gen era'lly used; the ampul-accommodating and holdiiigsheath having both aligned holes and separate aligned notches and these being arranged employed to designate like parts throughout/the same- Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an ampul holder and-scoring device constructed in accord-'- aiicewith the invention.

Figuref2 is a cross sectionorr'the'plane' ofth'e liner- 2 of Figure 1' as indicated;

Figured is'a similar cross secti'o'rr, this being through the hinged" scoring holder and on the line- 3 3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction ofthe arrows: v

Figure-4 is a view like Figure'fi showing the clamping members spread apart to facilitate sertion and removal of the scoring element.

Figure"- 5 is a detail view of the swingable cam lever. e

Figure 6 is aside elevationalview of the scor irig' element holder;

Figure Tis a section onthe' line l=lof Fig-- ure 6 Figure 8 is a detail view showing" end and" side views of the" multiple edged" or diamond shaped scoring element;

Reie'rring'now to thedrawings b'ydistinguish-- ing reference" characters; itwill besee'n thatthetwo principal parts or units-which;gotomakeupthe complete device are denoted and diiferemtiatedb'y the reference characters A and Bi Part A is mo're specifically and hereinafter referred to" as the ampula'ccomm'odating and holding sheath. on the other hand; the part Bis the blade-like, hingedly' mounted; complemental ho'lder' :tor the ampul" scoring element;

Referring now to Figure 2, it will be se'enthat typeof ampul on the'market in which the body is cylindrical and the headi'stap'ere'd and poiiit ed, theh'ead-being joined to the body by way of a restricted or reduced neck. These V'-'sha'ped notches lzserve to accomn'iodatethe neck; the

portionwhich is scored and subsequently broken off to releasethe contents of the ampul.

There is-a'nother typeof ampul onthe market in' which the bodyi's cylindrical andmerges into ataperedand'pointed tip. To accommodate this,'-

I provide aligned and complemental' apertures l3 and lljthese' formed in the" side walls I0 and H the aperture l 3 beiii'g circular, as brought out a. V-shaped notch or seat l at the bottom. The cylindrical hole 13 serves to accommodate the body of the type of ampul just described, whereas the notch l5 serves to accommodate the tapered tip.

The swingable carrier and holder B, as before stated, is in the form of an arm and this is hingedly mounted as at I6 between the side members I0 and ii. The said arm is of the same length as the sheath A and is adapted toswing between the side walls in an obvious manner. As brought out in Figures 3 and 4, the arm is fashioned from a sheet of metal or equivalent material which is bent between its ends as at H to provide spaced, parallel jaws l8 and IS. The inner forward edge portions of these jaws are provided with longitudinal V-shaped grooves which receive and hold the diamond shaped scoring tool or element 2|. This part 2i is made of cemented carbide compound or similar metal or mineral compounds. In certain instances, a diamond or sapphire point could be substituted and used as a scoring element. But here the part 2| is slipped in between the jaws l8 and i9 and is held in the grooves 20. Intermediate the ends of the grooves are notches 22, as brought out in Figure 1, and these serve to expose the scoring edge so that it may be .brought down against the ampul as the latter lies crosswise in either the notches H2 or the apertures l3 and 14. In order to hold the tool or scoring element in place, it is necessary to provide clamping means, and this comprises a finger lever 23 swingably mounted on a doubleheaded pin '24 as shown in Figures 3 and 4. The

tip or end of the lever is laterally bent as at to form a finger-grip.

In order to better understand the construction of the parts under consideration, attention is directed to Figure 6 wherein it will be seen that the numerals 2B designates holes to accommodate the headed lever assembling and mounting pin 24. On opposite sides of these holes, and formed in the jaws l8 and 19 are depressions 21 which serve to accommodate cam-forming detents 28 on the pivoted end of the lever. It follows that when the lever is "up, that is, vertical as seen in Figure 4, the detents 28 snap into the recesses or depressions 21 and thus relieve pressure on the tapered portion 29 of said jaw l9. When, however, the lever is swung around to assume the horizontal position in Figure l, the detents snap out of said depressions 21 and come into play and constitute cams, and said cams then squeeze the two jaws together and tightly against the scoring element "2 i. This is brought out in Figure 3. Thus the jaws can be swung open or pressed and closed by the cam action and the same cam action can be utilized to retain the jaws in gripping relation in respect to the element 2|.

To score the ampuls so that the end will tap off clean, only slight pressure is required on the arm B and the scoring element carried thereby. It is necessary, once the ampul is placed in proper accommodation seats, that it be rotated while the scoring element is held against it. The pressure is held at this point while the ampul is being rotated two or three times. Then the ampul is removed and tapped sharply with one end of the device. Invariably, and experience shows this, the end of the ampul will break oif clean and sharp to permit the contents to be safely removed.

It is evident that certain ampuls are placed, as before stated, in the notches or seats l2. Other types are placed through and in the openings l3; it and 15, Thus. the method of insertin and;

removing the ampuls and also the method of clamping, removing and adjusting the scoring element are factors which should be plain to the reader.

The use of this device is not limited to glass ampuls containing solutions for injection, but is likewise well adapted for glass bars and tubes of glass, or equivalents.

Repeated tests prove this device to be entirely practical. It will fill a long-felt need in the medical profession and laboratories where glass rods and tubes are cut by various unsatisfactorily methods.

My device saves time and temper and will eliminate the danger of cutting fingers. The scoring bar will last for months and can be easily and quickly changed. Also, this device is small and compact and can be carried easily in ones pocket or a purse.

It is thought that persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary.

Minor changes in the shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim:

1. An ampul holding and cutting device of the class described comprising a sheath, an arm hingedly mounted in said sheath, said arm being made up of opposed spring jaws, and said jaws having V-shaped grooves, said grooves being adapted to accommodate an insertable and removable diamond-shaped bar, said bar consti-.

tuting a scoring element, a lever, a pin mounted in said jaws and serving to swingably support' said lever, said lever being provided with detents provide spaced, resilient jaws, the inner opposed faces of said jaws being provided with longitudinal V-shaped grooves, said grooves being adapted to accommodate an insertable and removable scoring element, a cross pin mounted.

in and bridging said jaws, a lever swingably mounted on said pin, said lever exterior to an adjacent jaw being provided with a finger-grip.

and also provided with diametrically opposite cam-forming detents, said detents being in wiping depressible contact with the adjacent surface of the adjacent jaw.

3. An ampul holding and scoring device of the class described comprising a sheath embodying spaced parallel side walls, one side wall being provided with a circular hole to firmly embrace a predetermined portion of the neck of an ampul having a tapered neck portion, the other side wall having an aperture in alignment with said hole for reception of a part of the neck spaced from that which is held in the circular hole, said aperture having its upper half of semi-circular configuration and its lower half of V-shaped configuration, and an arm pivotallymounted between the side walls and adapted to swing between said side walls, said arm being provided on its free swingable end with scoring means and said scoringmeans being adapted aaoaoea to come into contact with that portion of the ampul neck which is bridged between the circular hole and said coacting aperture.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a salient part of an ampul holding and scoring device of the class shown and described comprising a channel-shaped sheath embodying spaced parallel side walls, one side wall being provided with a circular hole to firmly embrace a predetermined portion of the neck of a conventional type ampul having a tapered neck portion, the other side wall having an aperture in registry with said hole for reception of a part of said neck spaced from that part which is embraced in the circular hole, said aperture having its upper half portion of semi-circular configuration and its lower half portion of V-shaped configuration.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a channel-shaped sheath embodying spaced parallel side walls, one side wall being provided with a circular hole to firmly embrace a predetermined portion of a tapered neck ampul, the other side wall having an aperture in registry with said hole, said aperture being adadpted for reception of a part of said neck spaced longitudinally from that part embraced in the circular hole. said aperture having its upper half of semi-circular configuration and the remaining half provided with straight angularly related seating surfaces.

JAMES E. THOMPSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

